


My Partner's Ex & I Play Truth or Drink - Jimmy Owens & Peter McVries

by The_Magic_Lava_Lamp



Series: CUT AU [2]
Category: The Long Walk - Richard Bachman
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-21
Updated: 2020-02-21
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:00:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22824484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Magic_Lava_Lamp/pseuds/The_Magic_Lava_Lamp
Summary: Jimmy, Ray Garraty’s ex & Pete, His current boyfriend, must choose between the cold hard truth or a nice drink….(The Long Walk - They’re 26 in this)
Relationships: Ray Garraty/Jimmy Owens, Ray Garraty/Peter McVries, past - Relationship
Series: CUT AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1640854
Kudos: 3





	My Partner's Ex & I Play Truth or Drink - Jimmy Owens & Peter McVries

**Author's Note:**

> SO I’ve been working on a CUT AU based on the CUT YouTube channel…AND this idea was all from my sister @m-o-o-n-thatspellsblog ‘s mind!! She came up with this whole idea and continues to help shape it with me. 
> 
> I already posted the first one shot in this universe….the one-shot for Dreamcatcher that you can find on my profile!
> 
> This universe of ‘videos’ is going to include Dreamcatcher, The Long Walk, IT, Christine & The Body! 
> 
> In this universe their ages are as followed; The IT characters = 42, Dreamcatcher boys = 25 (24 for Pete), The Christine gang = 28, Long Walk guys = 26 & Lachambers = 31
> 
> My next one-shot is going to be for Gavries…then Reddie, then probably Dennis/Arnie and LaChambers….

—Cut—-

“Were you guys in love?” Pete read the card in a low tone and wondered again how Jimmy was feeling about all this. The guy seemed pretty chill about all this but to Pete, it looked as if he were holding something back. He leaned back in guilt. 

Jimmy’s face flickered with emotion and he seemed to try and bury his twitching hands into the lap of his jeans. He opened and closed his mouth a few times before allowing an answer to slip out. “Well-”

His expression looked painfully embarrassed. 

—Cut—-

Peter McVries was still thinking about the strained round of small-talk Ray had initiated with the ‘famous’ Jimmy Owens while the director of this whole series was setting up the camera. Work and the weather was the best the old pair of friends could manage and it suddenly gutted Pete to dwell on. Hell, he couldn’t imagine going back to be strangers with Ray like this Jimmy guy had to go through. 

He watched Jimmy take his seat across from him at the small table and gave him the casual and sincere smile he knew his boy couldn’t give him. Jimmy deserved that. 

Ray was sitting off on the other side of the room, watching with his thumbnail pressed into his lip. It was a nervous tick he’d actually picked up from Pete which kinda amused him. Nobody had ever consciously spent so much time with him that they starting sharing habits...which was why Pete now sometimes tied and untied his shoes while he sat.

The director, Blaine, waved a thumbs up over his gear and gave them the go ahead to start whenever. McVries thumped the table lightly with his palms and grinned. “I’m Pete.” 

“I’m Jimmy.” Owens waved gently and rose a little from his chair. “And Pete, is dating my ex-boyfriend-” He tilted his chin towards his table companion and returned the polite grin he was rewarded with. 

“His name’s Ray.” Pete chuckled. “And he’s sitting right over there.” He gestured like a bubbly teenager and stuck out his tongue when Ray frowned, not being much for camera attention he didn’t ask for. But oh boy, he didn’t have to try hard to throw up his charming smile. He was real cute that way. Pete scrunched up his nose and chuckled. 

{Blaine, off camera: “So what’s the relationship like here?”}

“This is our first conversation ever, actually.” Jimmy gestured between himself and Pete, who nodded. 

“Yeah, you just had your ‘first real’ conversation with Ray in some time just before we started shooting.” Pete wanted to be honest, even if Ray was a little anxious about the whole situation. “I mean, you’ve talked on like Facebook messenger sometimes and you had some phone conversations but...” 

Jimmy smiled gently. “It has been some time-yeah...so...” His voice sounded a little small and sad. He rubbed the pad of his thumb across the tip of his nose and coughed. The cards were in a small pile in front of them and the alcohol was sitting just to the side. Jimmy slowly reached out and slid one card free. “What's the meanest thing my ex has said about me?”

He blew out some air and tried to laugh at the question but Pete saw some fear in his eyes. He didn’t even want to look at Ray who was surely digging his nail deeper into his lip. “Does it help if I say that Ray almost never talks about you?” Pete kicked himself immediately after asking that. The answer looked like it had punched Jimmy in the gut. 

“I kinda expected that...knowing Ray-...that is if he hasn’t changed too much since high-school.” he shrugged and peeked behind him towards Ray before making eye contact with Pete again. “But I can’t say it made me feel better to know we went from best friends to...some guy he doesn’t even mention.” 

Pete softened even more. Jimmy wasn’t trying to start anything, he just going with the honesty thing which Pete really respected. He nodded and reached out for his own card. “What would it take for us to have a threesome?” He smirked and winked as he threw the card over his shoulder. 

Jimmy chuckled. “Ummm....” He widened his eyes and looked around the room as if it held the answer. Pete playfully tapped his foot and looked at the watch curled around his wrist. “Yeah, I don’t think that’s ever gonna happen but you’re a nice guy, really.” Jimmy teasingly patted McVries’s hand and they shared another joyous round of laughter. 

“Let me down gently, ok.” Pete shook his head and giggled some more. 

“Yeah well, You’ve seen my type-” Jimmy stuck his thumb out behind him towards where Ray was sitting. “And you’re like...” 

“The exact opposite?” Pete almost choked on that bubble of laughter and hunched forward. “That’s amazing, thank you for saying that.” McVries was having trouble speaking due to the amusement which only grew more intense when Jimmy too laughed and Ray hid his face in embarrassment. “Not to mention the emotional toll of hooking up with Ray again? Don’t bring that up or anything. Just reject based on me!”

“Oh shit, yeah. That too-” Jimmy wheezed and for a good while, they laughed themselves nearly to death. 

—Cut—- 

Jimmy managed to collect himself first and realized it was already time for his turn again. He looked much more relaxed and breezy about the whole game which McVries was hoping would last. He’d like to think they got a good vibe going between them which was beginning to slowly comfort Jimmy. 

“Oh, this is a heavy one to jump to...-” Jimmy paused and gave him a friendly little smile. “Have you two ever come close to breaking up?, If so, what happened?” 

Pete paused. He hadn’t quite expected a question like that which was probably pretty idiotic of him considering the kinds of stuff they throw out in these videos. He wasn’t usually a nervous person but something about that question triggered some odd feelings. “Actually, yeah. We have.” He nodded and noticed the soft eyes Ray was sending him. 

Jimmy’s eyes briefly widened but shrank back to normal size in a second or two, like he realized he wasn’t actually all that shocked with the idea. “What happened?”

McVries rolled his lips together and scooted closer to the table. “Well, Ray and I met our Sophomore year of College...” He began with careful glances to his boy on the couch, who was looking apprehensive. “Our hook-up story is long and messy...so that’s a story for a different video.” He threw a charming wink to the camera. 

“But-uh...during our Junior year, I suggested that Ray and I apply to be roommates.” Pete stumbled his way through the first sentence but quickly tried to remember this was way in the past. “And after the process we eventually ended up rooming together and this one time, his mother had come for a surprise visit, right?” Pete remembered the horrified look on Ray’s face during the incident but now, his boy was sort of giggling on the couch over there. It fueled him. 

“And I happened to be the only one in our room-” Pete started feeling ok to laugh since his great company was giving in too. Ray was sending genuinely soft grins his way and Jimmy looked ready to burst again. 

“Shit.” Jimmy cupped his fist over his mouth. 

Pete nodded with wide eyes. “To make a long story short I, foolishly, assumed Ray hold told her about us and introduced myself as his boyfriend. Things got awkward and she left.”

Jimmy rolled his lips together. “Yeah, I see where this is going.” 

“Ray comes back and starts in on me about how he wasn’t ready for that. He seemed so...determined about it that I asked if he had ever planned on saying something to her. Ray got quiet and basically-”

“Confirmed that he never gave it a thought. Like he was keeping his two ‘worlds’ separate.” Jimmy poured himself a shot as he spoke. “Yeah, sounds like the Ray I used to know.” He nodded and McVries frowned. 

“Anyway, it turned into this whole big argument and I was just worried that maybe I loved Ray more than...well more than he intended to let himself love me back.” McVries shrugged and took his own shot. He didn’t look at Garraty just because he hadn’t ever really opened up about that fight. 

{Blaine: “What do you mean by that, Pete?”}

McVries shrugged for the millionth time. “Not to sound like an asshole but I knew Ray at least had a thing for me. He made that clear in the way he hung around me all the time and put up with me flirting.” He threw a little wink at Ray. “But at the beginning, I just wasn’t sure Ray would ever...unclench. Y’know? Let himself acknowledge he’d grown tired of the masquerade ball.” 

Pete went silent again and Jimmy soaked in the words. “But look at you guys now-” Jimmy gestured from Pete to Ray, a ways behind him. “You managed to help Ray grow...help him accept himself.” He shrugged and tapped his shot-glass. “I wanted to be the guy who did that for him so damn much.” 

Pete felt a strong pull in his chest. He couldn’t imagine how badly Ray must be feeling, judging from his boy’s fallen face. 

—Cut—- 

“Were you guys in love?” Pete read the card in a low tone and wondered again how Jimmy was feeling about all this. The guy seemed pretty chill about all this but to Pete, it looked as if he were holding something back. He leaned back in guilt.

Jimmy’s face flickered with emotion and he seemed to try and bury his twitching hands into the lap of his jeans. He opened and closed his mouth a few times before allowing an answer to slip out. “Well-” His expression looked painfully embarrassed and he nearly went for another shot just to avoid answering but shook his head. “Nah, I can answer this one.” He scooted closer and looked Pete in the eyes. “I was in love. But that’s all I can say.” 

{Blaine: “Why don’t you ask Ray?”} 

Jimmy and Pete turn to that couch and found a shaky looking Ray Garraty. “Well...-” His voice was wobbly with nerves which Pete found endearingly cute yet anxiety-inducing. “Jimmy...you were the first guy I ever had real feelings for. Since we were little idiotic kids playing doctor.” Ray shifted to the edge of the couch in attempt to get closer. “When we started our thing...-I thought I could do it, I really did. But I just didn’t want to be gay.” Tears were starting to cloud his eyes, that much Pete could see from his seat and damn he wanted to go to him. 

{Blaine: “So were you in love with Jimmy?”} 

Jimmy looked like he might add a polite little ‘you don’t have to answer’ just outta instinct before he came to his senses and realized how badly he needed the honest answer. 

Ray hiccuped and immediately looked embarrassed. “Yeah...-Jimmy, I really did love you and part of me still doesn’t want to acknowledge it for some reason...but yeah. I was in love.” 

—Cut—- 

Pete hadn’t actually been able to help himself from going over to his boy and wiping his sleeve down his red cheeks but he doubted that would make it into the video. Ray was further embarrassed by the action but Pete couldn’t care less because he needed the comfort. Jimmy remained in his seat and kept on facing Pete’s empty chair for that short little minute or two...a sad little smile on his face as he heard the comforting whispers. 

When Pete returned, looking apologetic, Jimmy waved him off and gave him a kind thumbs up. “Your next question is...Have you ever been jealous of me?” Jimmy shrugged the card down and looked like he already knew the answer but Pete doubted him. 

“Actually yeah. I have been jealous of you-”

“I thought you barely knew about our relationship?” Jimmy chuckled but Pete kept nodding his head with a small smile. 

“But I knew some.” Pete played with his shot-glass. “I mean, you’ve known Ray since you were little kids and you got to go through High-School together. Which, makes me real jealous because I’d love to have known Ol’ Garraty back then.” He spoke with earnest longing. “You got to carry his books for him, walk him to class and all that cute shit-”

“If it makes you feel better, I didn’t do much of that considering Ray was so paranoid about people getting the idea he was gay.” Jimmy frowned. 

But Pete didn’t seem to change his mind. He sighed, sorta dreamily. “Yeah well, I still would’ve loved to know Ray back then. Everybody wishes they could have spent all the time in the world with the person they like the most. It’s only natural.” Pete shrugged and took anther shot as a little treat. Jimmy genuinely grinned at that answer and Ray nearly swooned. 

McVries reached out for his next card without noticing the lightness in his company. “What is something you taught Ray that I'm benefiting from now?” He smirked and got in a little chuckle before turning it over to Jimmy through way of silence. 

“Well from being with me...” Jimmy started with a small look back at Ray. “I think he learned some personal things about himself that I helped him to realize he couldn’t bury. But I don’t think Ray got to that conclusion until after our break-up.” He shrugged. “I think the pain of us...that’s what helped Ray learn that maybe he ought to try to face his issues with...” He glanced back at their mutual friend with an apologetic look. “Internalized homophobia.” 

When Jimmy brought those heavy words to the table, Ray deflated. Not in a way that suggested he thought he wasn’t deserving of it, no Ray seemed to acknowledge Jimmy was correct with his nods. “Yeah. That time in my life was...” He shrugged and tried to share some silent words with Jimmy, who seemed to understand. “I was hard to understand. I thought I could be in a relationship because I had those feelings for you but...well, it’s hard to be affectionate with someone when you’re subconsciously wishing those feelings...weren’t there. I didn’t want to be attracted to you so I didn’t end up treating you very well.” Ray sighed, ashamed. “I’m sorry. Have I ever told you that?” 

Jimmy took a subtle shot and shook his head. “No, actually.” and he let that sink into the air as if the tension didn’t bother him. McVries was strangely proud of Jimmy....not strangely, actually-...Pete was just proud of him for be straight forward and honest with this whole thing. 

It was a trait he had mighty respect for because he spent a lot of his initial youth wishing he wasn’t so honest himself. He disguised it with mystique and cryptic language so he might not be taken so seriously but...bottom line, Pete always said what he truly thought. His mother always say’s that her son is ‘funny that way’. It was the main reason it had taken Ray so long to figure out that his confessions of love were actually something to take seriously and not a joke to awkwardly laugh off. 

Ray retracted like he’d been punched.

—Cut—-

“Who do you think is objectively more attractive- you or me?” Jimmy chuckled and set his card down. 

“Oh you, hundred percent.” McVries nodded, very sure of his answer. 

Jimmy rolled his eyes. “What makes you so quick to answer? I think you’re a pretty attractive guy-” 

“Not attractive enough for a threesome though-” McVries crossed his arms and feigned some attitude which Jimmy couldn’t help but find extremely amusing. He broke in a fit of laughter once more which was rather contagious. 

{Blaine: “You could ask Ray?”} 

Blaine sorta laughed at his suggestion but the men turned to their mutual friend with smirks. 

“Oh come on.” Ray shook his head about a million times “I’m not answering that.” 

Pete playfully batted his eyelashes. “It’s ok to hurt my feelings, Ray-baby.” 

Ray blinked and looked down at his shoes, not expecting that nickname to be used in the video. It might’ve made him slightly uncomfortable. Just the same as it probably made him uncomfortable with addressing his physical attraction to them on camera. He still had some issues to confront, that much Pete knew. 

“Ok, it’s definitely you.” Jimmy chuckled and snapped his finger across the table at Pete. “I can see it in his eyes, man. Ray’s got it bad. You’re just his type, I should think.” 

Pete had a rush of something like butterflies but tried not to act like a boy with a crush. He feared Ray might be more than just uncomfortable now, perhaps an angry embarrassment. 

But Ray actually seemed relieved. “You’re both really fuckin’ hot.” 

Both Pete and Jimmy had to momentarily pause. Neither of them had ever expected something so upfront and bold to come out of little Raymond Garraty’s mouth, let alone on camera for the world to see. He’d always been shy and restricted about his attraction to men. 

Pete was so proud, he could burst and from the looks of it, so was Jimmy. 

Ray kinda giggled in his cute way and looked off, hoping he was now off camera. But Pete had a different idea and hopped from his chair to drag his boyfriend to the table. “Say it again for the audience, baby!” He shook his shoulders and tried his best not to kiss him then and there. 

“You’re both fuckin’ hot!” Ray spoke his words into their existence and hid his face in Pete’s shoulder as Jimmy turned to face forward in his chair and wiggled Ray’s hand. 

{Blaine: “Great job Ray!”} Blaine laughed and clapped along with them. 

“This is really good for you, Ray.” Jimmy said with earnest pride and gently tapped Ray’s hand. 

Ray simply shrugged and bashfully started to walk back to his little corner couch as Jimmy, Pete and Blaine clapped along. 

—Cut—-

“Is any part of you not quite over the breakup?” Pete set his card down and tapped the table with the tips of his fingers while Jimmy took a shot. “Don’t want to answer this one?” 

Jimmy paused. “Nah, I’ll answer. Just wanted to prepare.” He chuckled and rubbed the pad of his thumb against his nose. “Yeah, there’s a part of me that’s definitely not over it. It was high-school but Ray didn’t break things off in a very satisfying or clean way. And it was a very important relationship for both of us. But there’s a bigger part of me that wishes the relationship just never happened.” 

{Blaine: “Why’s that?”} 

Jimmy turned his chair around to look at Ray with full, genuine eye-contact. “I think if our relationship never happened...we’d still be friends. Our friendship was really important to me and it just got cut-off. I’ll always hate that, Ray. You were my best friend.”

“You were my best friend too. I hate that I let us lose that...I wrecked it, honestly.” Ray confirmed with watery eyes. 

Jimmy looked as if he’d been waiting for Ray to admit that for a long time. 

—Cut—-

“Should we be closer friends-?”

“Hell Yeah!” Pete answered so quickly it threw Jimmy off for a second or two. “I think we gotta a good vibe, you and I.” He gestured between them. 

“Yeah, we should get drinks after this.” Jimmy reached over to smack Pete’s arm. 

Pete leaned over. “Ray, you’re not invited!” He stuck his tongue out and childishly high fived his new buddy. 

—Cut—- 

Pete knew he’d end up having a great time filming this video, the three of them each seemed relaxed now too. Even Ray, whom he’d been very concerned about since the video idea was suggested to them. He reached for the next card and ended up swallowing a few more nerves. 

“Do you think I am a good match for our mutual person and could you see us getting married?” McVries couldn’t help but ask that with a bit of wobble in his tone. All he ever wanted in life since he’d laid eyes on him was to be good enough for Ray. 

Jimmy looked at Pete with a mixture of pride and a touch of jealousy. “Pete, I’ve never seen Ray so...himself.” He glanced between them and leaned forward. “I waited forever for him to look at me just once the way he looks at you every minute.” He chuckled. 

McVries felt a blush flourish his cheeks and he looked down at the table to mask it. 

“Even though things ended badly, I still hoped Ray would find that person to help him and to love him like I did. And you...” Jimmy gestured to him. “You’re possibly...the most in-love with someone that I’ve ever seen, if that makes sense?” He looked to the camera with a shrug. “Just before we started filming, you were giving Ray a little pep-talk and the way you so earnestly love him, it’s something to appreciate.” Jimmy turned to Ray. 

“And I do, Pete, you have no idea. I know sometimes I can act a little far-away or-” 

Pete waved him off. “I get it. I know you’re still getting over some issues and that’s ok. You show me you love me everyday, Ray-Baby. I understand your moods and when you pull-away, I know you’ll be back just as soon as I help you through whatever is bothering you.” He shrugged. 

Ray shot up. “Shit.” he mumbled as he crossed the floor and as Pete stood to gather the emotionally-exhausted boy in his arms. 

Jimmy looked at them with caring eyes and playfully thumped his palm over his heart. “See, look at that shit. Breath-taking. They’re definitely gettin’ married.” 

—Cut—- 

{Blaine: “So how was that?”} 

“Pretty fuckin’ good.” Pete shoved Jimmy’s arm. 

“Yeah, I think we really needed to experience this.” Jimmy chuckled and grinned fondly down at Ray, who was now kneeling to their sitting level on the crisp white floor. “I’m happy for you, buddy.” 

Ray glanced up with his wonderful eyes and found a satisfying sense of joy from his old friend. “I missed you.” 

Jimmy smiled. “How about we make more of an effort to be friends?” 

He said ‘we’ but Pete knew he met ‘you’. Ray had done his best to avoid Jimmy in the past couple of years. 

“I’d love that.” He nodded and looked between both of them. 

Pete kissed the top of Ray’s head and set his chin to rest atop his messy hair. “So that’s a definite no on the threesome?”

The three of them fell into another round of amused laughter. Their were some steps yet to take but there was also an overwhelming sense of ‘it was all gonna be ok’ in the air. 

—Cut—-


End file.
